2.0-liter turbo diesel coupled with CVT is a Forester first

The 2015 Subaru Forester gets updated for the UK with a diesel and CVT. It’s a Forester first. What other upgrades did the turbo diesel get?

Subaru UK announces the new upgrades for the 2015 Forester and the SUV gets a significant powertrain change for the new model year. Forester will now be offered with diesel-Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission) powertrain, the first Forester to offer such a power setup. The three previous diesel Forester trim levels were offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox.

For the first time, Subaru pairs the 2.0-liter turbo diesel with the CVT that will give UK buyers another powertrain option on Forester. The 148 PS Diesel engine also gets modifications that Subaru says will reduce noise, vibration and harshness and improve fuel economy.

How did they do it?

Forester diesel now uses a common-rail injection system that enables more precise combustion control, and new glow plugs speed up engine heating for greater fuel efficiency from a cold start. Other changes include revised turbo settings, and a new radiator, oil cooler and radiator fans have been added for diesel models, aiding engine cooling.

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Better fuel efficiency

Subaru engineers were able to improve fuel efficiency on the diesel variant coupled with the 6-speed manual. It now returns 49.6 mpg and gets lower emissions. Acceleration is improved slightly, recording 0-62 mph in 9.8 seconds (down from 10.2 seconds). The new diesel-CVT powertrain gets 46.3 mpg and 158 g/km CO2 on the combined cycle, and launches from 0-62 mph in 9.6 seconds.

Improvements made to the CVT

Subaru uses the same Lineartronic transmission fitted to the Forester’s 2.0-liter diesel engine as the one used in the performance Forester XT. It has already been engineered to manage the diesel engine’s high 350 Nm torque output. Subaru also improved the NVH (noise) characteristics of the transmission with additional soundproofing, while a manual mode provides drivers with seven pre-set ‘gears’ for greater control of the engine. Subaru also added greater soundproofing material under the hood and around the air intake that should reduce noise from the diesel inside the cabin.

The 2015 Subaru Forester diesel with the CVT gets a little more civilized, but the new model should still be an off-road warrior with its standard all-wheel drive drivetrain. The new Lineartronic-diesel paring still brings with it Subaru’s Hill Descent Control and the X-Mode system for optimizing the diesel’s power and torque and providing maximum traction in severe and off-road driving situations. The upgraded 2015 Subaru Forester diesel-CVT will go on sale April 1 in the UK. U.S. buyers can only look and not touch.